Travel Information

Travel Information

Passports & Visas

A passport is required to enter Rwanda and a certificate of vaccination for yellow fever is normally required to return back to the country of origin. Nationals of the following Countries may visit Rwanda without visa for a period up to 90 days: USA, Germany, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, Mauritius, South Africa, Kenya, Great Britain, Sweden, Singapore, Hong Kong and Burundi. [2]. If arriving by air, citizens of many other European countries may get an 8 day single entry visa on arrival for USD$60, which can be extended by the immigration office in Kigali, although this process is sometimes tedious. Generally, Rwandan embassy and consulates can issue 3 month tourist visas for around the same price without much hassle. Contact your nearest embassy or consulate for more information.

If you are traveling overland, it is no longer possible to obtain a visa at the border. However, visa application can easily be made at www.migration.gov.rw/singleform.php. You will within a few days receive a entry visa acceptance by email. Bringing this acceptance letter, the visa will be issued at the border. The US$60 visa fee is paid at the border.

Things that are Prohibited

I’m not a plastic bag!

Thin plastic bags are prohibited in Rwanda. Luggage will be searched at the border and even at police checkpoints throughout the country to make sure you are not carrying plastic bags. Prior to the ban, one-time use plastic bags plagued city streets and threatened the delicate environment. Today, Rwandan cities are almost litter-free and some of the cleanest in Africa!